The Ache Lingers

  It seems that animals can become family members just like people. They grow in our hearts and we treat them with kid gloves.  This is all well and good.  Our pets return the love and help us to live long and happy lives.  Ms. Ez was that sort of animal.  She came here as a wee pup that was rescued from certain death by my daughter.  Through the years, that tiny tot grew into a huge, rambunctious dog!  But our love for her grew as well.

  As the kids grew up and left to go on their merry ways, Ms. Ez and I soon became inseparable.  We did most everything together and had a mutual respect for each other.  I tended her every whim by cooking special meals to go with her usual dogfood, taking her for hikes and even letting her sleep near my bed.  She returned the favors by guarding the Little Bayou House, giving comfort and being the best fishing partner anyone could have. 

  After ten years of this companionship, it broke my heart when she found something that did not agree with her system. My dear friend had been poisoned and there was naught that I could do to mend this.  After visits to the vet and to the animal hospital, they decided to just "make her comfortable".  It was hard.  During those last three days, I comforted her.  I slept on her bed beside her.  I held her close and dutifully dosed her with medicines that were hopefully helping her not be in much pain. I told her how much she meant to the family and to me. Then on the third night, Ms. Ez left us. That night was one of the hardest things that I ever had to do.  Son and I stroked her fur, murmured soft words and loved her.  Needless to say, I miss her.  

Ms. Ez shares her bed with Sunny, the pup.

  When folks try to pawn their unwanted dogs off on me "now that you do not have Ezzy", I almost get angry.  I do not want to replace Ms. Ez. She meant too much.  I feel that if they cared for their pets as much as I cared for Ez, they would not be trying to give them away.  Obviously, the bond is not there and they look at the dog as merely another obligation. It should not be that way at all.  Don't get a pet if you are not willing to keep it for the long haul. A cute little puppy soon grows into an adult and has adult needs.  Later, they age just as we do and need a different type of care but they are not "throwaway pets".  The thought some folks have of only wanting a pet when it is "fun" makes me wonder how they are going to feel if no one is there to take care of them when they are elderly. Will anyone care or will it be easier to "find a home" for them?  Hmmm, something to think about there, folks.  Think long and hard about what you are teaching your kids and grandkids.  The way you treat furry family members is being observed and may determine how you, yourself, are treated later in life.

  Will I ever change and decide to get another dog?  I do not know but, perhaps in time if I find a friend in need, I may be able to feel differently.  In the meantime, however, Darling Daughter did offer to let her pup come "Mom Sit" occasionally.  That would work for me.  (Sunny stayed with us for quite a while as a puppy before Elizabeth and Robbie could give her the forever home that she deserved.)  I grew to love her along with Ms. Ez.  It might be fun to have her back on the Bayou once again....for a little while.

Can I keep it?

  There is no denying that things change as you grow older.  Once your kids grow up and leave home to do their own things, the house seems a tad empty.  Gone are the days of toys left on the stairs, of  late night junk food splurges and of endless pets.  Yes, we still have cats...even some that are not ours...but gone are the days of kids "finding" poor helpless animals that need homes.  There was the time that Oldest Son found a little black dog on the side of the road and I heard "He was SO hungry, he was eating a stick!  Can I keep him?"  Of course we did and "Slick" became a member of our family.  There was the time that Darling Daughter found a tiny kitten with a broken tail and I heard "She bit me, Mom!  Can we keep her?"  Again we did and Ms. Put joined the crew. Funny thing about that cat was she was actually two cats.  Unbeknown to us, Ms. Put had a twin brother who decided the Little Bayou House seemed to be a nice place so he stayed...Mr. Tup (Put spelled backwards) was welcomed to the clan.  Son (the younger) was a wee toddler when we heard a puppy crying in the woods.  He and I rescued her from certain death as whoever tossed her out of the moving car had tied a rope around her neck.  This rope had become hopelessly entangled in the brush and the little brown pup could not reach food nor water.  "My puppy!" said the small child that was previously terrified of dogs.  I gave the kids an ultimatum with this one.."Give me ten reasons why we need another dog."  They were stumped at number nine until I heard whispering in the bedroom.  Out came three young kids with one pup bedecked with a large red bow.  "Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad!  We got you a puppy!"  We kept "Little Orphan Annie" and she grew into a huge Great Dane mix of a dog.  Son was also the one who "found" a turkey.  Don't ask...just trust me on this one.  Son found a turkey who was welcomed into the fold as Mr. Tom.  The saga continued for some twenty years with cats, dogs, otters, snakes, rabbits, ducks, geese, squirrels, mice, birds, calves, chickens, turtles, frogs, a rat (not one I was too overjoyed to see...thanks Daughter!), possums and many others. You name an animal and, at some point in time, we probably had one.  I was never surprised to hear a chorus of excited voices chiming through the screen door with "It followed us home!  Can we keep it?"  The answer, although sometimes made without a bit of commonsense, was always "Sure, as long as you feed it and take care of it."   I figured that all this interaction with critters was good.  I miss those days...in some ways.

  Now it is my turn.  "I dunno!  I turned around and there it was!  I think I will keep it!"  Yep, I think I should keep this "pet".  A pony showed up unexpectedly at the doorstep the other day.  I am not sure just what I will do with this pony except keep it for the Grandlittles.  I am quite sure that they will know exactly what to do when they see it.  And I promise that I will take good care of it!  So...welcome to the family..."Clyde"!

  "Clyde" did just suddenly appear at the front doorstep.  I heard a ruckus outside and when I went to investigate, I found my brother unloading the pony from the back of his truck. This is one he had bought years ago when there were youngsters at his house.  "Here.  This is for the babies.  It might need a bit of a cleaning but it is in great shape for being nineteen years old!"  I had to agree.  The old rocking horse was, indeed, in great shape albeit rather large for me to store.  Space is limited in the Little Bayou House so right now, a tent left over from the last clue hunt has been designated as a "barn" for our fine steed.  As soon as the weather permits, a good cleaning and possibly a new paint job will be given to the pony.  The Grandlittles will have something new as entertainment when they come back to the Bayou!  

  "It followed me home, Ma!  Can I keep it?"  Sure....welcome Clyde.  You are now a member of this crazy, pet-filled home....even though you are made of plastic!  Whoa there , Boy!

Hungry Little Friend!

  I have just about decided against adopting any new pets...at least for a while.  Agreeably, it is the way to go.  Adopt some poor misfortunate animal that has never enjoyed life and give it peace of mind and a healthy place to live. This ensures you a lifetime (theirs) of pure bliss.  Rescued animals seem appreciative of the love, security of a home and attention that you give them. In return, they stand steadfast in their loyalty, return the love and protect you. (Even cats are protective.)  But, I am just not sure that I am ready at this point in time to make that commitment. We still are owned by two cats and I wish to leave it at that for the time being.

  Still, today, I would have been tempted to feed another critter had it been willing.  I was staring out the window when I spied said critter. Aww, what a cutie!  I had the sudden urge to not only photograph but feed the critter and I knew just what it would like!  I grabbed the camera and scurried down the hill to make friends!  The critter in question?  A possum!  Yep, a possum.  I am partial to the critters only because it seems that no one else feels they are adorable.  No one thinks twice of running over them with their car, of shooing them from the garden or killing them for getting in the garbage.  Me?  I feed them.  Possums are good to have around the place.  They are sort of like nature's garbage men. They clean up the place.  Anything edible is on the menu for a possum.

  The menu today was to be persimmons.  I knew that there were a few persimmons left on the tree but that they would have been difficult for the possum to reach.  The last remaining few were on tiny stems that would not support the weight of the critter.  I wished to snatch a few to feed my new-found friend.  When I reached the spot where the possum was munching a rancid persimmon that had fallen a few days earlier, I spoke softly to it.  I reassured the critter that I meant no harm.  The possum had no idea what I was trying to relate to it so it scampered a few feet from me.  It then attempted to make a slick escape by climbing up an oak tree.  It reached an entire height of two feet then stopped and stared at me.  There was no use in scaring the poor critter so I picked a few fresh persimmons and set them down near the base of the tree. After a few pictures, I eased back up the hill to let the little critter eat in peace.  

  Yep, I think if I adopt another critter any time soon, it will be a wild one. They need to eat as well and with winter breathing down our necks, food may become scarce.  A little tidbit now and again will not hurt and maybe will make life a bit easier for some of my wild friends on the Bayou.  Oh, and all I could think about while befriending the possum was how Ms. Ez, the old Bayou Dog, would have loved this.  For some strange reason, she adored possums!  Go figure!

The Bamboo House

  Sometimes you just have to worry a bit about the wild critters that are out in the inclement weather.  We are constantly reminded to bring our pets indoors or at least give them adequate shelter and a warming meal.  The poor wild critters just have to wing it and survive on their own without help.  While we can be well-meaning and put out birdseed and fresh water, most critters have to scrounge about for sustenance. This can be difficult and many wild creatures do not have the strength to survive.  Many perish during winter's harshest days.  

  I was pondering this fact, today, while I was out and about the hillside. Sure, our weather is not nearly as hostile as our neighbors to the north but it does get a tad chilly here.  With some pretty strong winds as of late, the temperatures feel a lot colder than usual.  My critter friends have to be shivering!  As I headed to the back by the canebrake, a few of the birds answered my question without saying a word.  A noise made me realize that dozens, if not more, of birds were seeking shelter in among the midst of the bamboo.  In the lower sections near the roots, mice and smaller mammals were nestled.  The intertwined canes provided a great wind-block and the natural mulch gave off a desirable warmth. It was like a bamboo house! These critters were snug as a bug! (Which, I am sure, bugs were in there as well!)  A lot of the other animals are bedded down in dens dug deep in the ground and in hollow logs.  Others seek shelter in nests made in trees.  Why!  Even the wrens are happily warm in the greenhouse!  It seems that wild critters are smart enough to seek their own shelters.  We have just mollycoddled our pets to the point that they cannot survive on their own, if need be. Don't get me wrong.  My pets are inside.  The Bayou Queen makes her way upstairs to sleep on the huge bed in the guest room.  That cat knows her place!  Ms. Ez, the old Bayou Dog, has a cushy bed near the wood burning stove and Ms. Nycto, the Bayou Princess sleeps on the foot of my bed.  (Cats seem to prefer human beds!)  I do worry, though, about Ms. Ez and Ms. Nycto's survival instincts.  These two have been spoiled to the point that they would never make it even a short time out on their own. (Ms. Put, the Queen, has already proven her skills.  I do believe that cat is far smarter than the other two furry family members.)

  After discovering the community of critters living in the canebrake, I decided to put out a heftier amount of birdseed and stale bread. Between the feeders and the compost pile (which is replenished daily.), perhaps my wild friends can find this cold spell a bit easier.  Stay warm, my friends, stay warm in your Little Bamboo House!